Herne Bay 1-2 Ramsgate - Even when we're not at our best, we can still get through a game and that's a great sign, says unbeaten Ramsgate manager Ben Smith

Herne Bay 1 – 2 Ramsgate
Location	Winch's Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG
Kickoff	12/11/2024 19:45

HERNE BAY  1-2  RAMSGATE
Isthmian League South East Division
Tuesday 12 November 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Winch’s Field

RAMSGATE manager Ben Smith says it’s a great sign when his unbeaten side can come through and claim three points, even when they are not at their best.

Ramsgate remain in second-place in the Isthmian League South East Division, having picked up 40 points (13 wins and a draw) from their 14 games.  They have closed the gap on leaders Beckenham Town to just a point and they do have three games in hand on Del Oldfield’s men.

The prolific, Joe Taylor, notched his 23^rd goal of the season, before holding midfielder Lee Martin looped in a second, as Ramsgate came out with all guns blazing and played like the champions-elect inside the opening 19 minutes at Winch’s Field.

However, Herne Bay pulled a goal back through Gillingham loanee substitute striker Harry Bridle, 17, before Jack Parter smashed a penalty against the crossbar to miss a glorious chance to restore parity in this local derby.

Herne Bay have extended their winless league run to six games and with Danny Kedwell’s Ashford United side winning 3-2 at home to Littlehampton Town, Herne Bay have slipped down a place into seventeenth-place (bottom six) with 14 points (four wins, two draws and seven defeats).

“A game of two halves wasn’t it, a game of two halves,” said Smith.

“Sometimes you have to give credit to the opposition. We were diabolical second half but good teams win games of football and we’ve done that.

“It’s not about records or anything like that, it’s just winning three points and just ticking another game off.

“I think first half we dominated the ball and we created quite a lot of chances. We got our front guys on the ball in the right areas.  I thought we were unlucky not to be even more ahead and then they’re lively going forward and they’ve got a great counter-attacking side there and they’re a real threat on the counter.”

Herne Bay manager Steve Lovell said: “After the first 10 minutes, quarter-of-an-hour, I thought we were excellent. We performed well. We got back in the game and unfortunately to miss a penalty and perhaps if we had scored that penalty, I think we most probably would’ve won it.

“We were the better side second half by far and pretty much of the first half apart for the first quarter-of-an-hour – 20 minutes.

“But when you’re up there and things are going right for you. When you’re struggling for picking up points, that’s what happens. I can’t fault the boys, they were excellent and should’ve got something out of the game.”

Ramsgate started the game on the front foot, playing at a very high tempo, with attacking midfielder Tijan Jadama and right-winger Joshua Ajayi often linking up well.

Left-wing-back Alfie Paxman played the ball down the line to release Jadama in the left-channel before Billy Munday fed Paxman, who fizzed in a cross which deflected off Liam Friend at the near post and was comfortably caught by recalled Herne Bay goalkeeper Harry Brooks in his midriff inside the opening seven minutes.

Dominant Ramsgate opened the scoring following their first of five corners, the goal timed at 11 minutes and nine seconds on the clock.

Right-wing-back Roarie Deacon floated the corner in from the left and the ball bounced inside the six-yard box before Ramsgate centre-half Jay Leader was given time and space within the right-channel to recycle the ball back into the crowed goal-mouth.

Jadama swept his shot towards goal, Brooks parried the ball low to his left and Taylor stabbed the ball into the back of the net from three-yards.

“Just rewards for a good start to the game to be honest. There were a few times we got in behind them and got fouled and we looked like we could cause a lot of problems going forward, so it was a bright start to the game,” said Smith, who heaped praise on goal-machine Taylor, who scored 53 goals last season.

“He keeps banging them away. We as a team, we need to feed him more. We feed him more, he will score more, simple as that.”

Lovell added: “That just sums it up – 23^rd of the season already!

“When you’ve got a striker so prolific as him, you’re going to be up at the top aren’t you and if you’re not, there should be a reason why you’re not, so he’s excellent. A great player to have in your team.

“I’ve just spoken to James (Lawson), the Ramsgate chairman and saying how lucky they are to have someone like that in the team. He does really well and I thought he’s the difference really.”

Herne Bay went route-one with their first attempt (15:28) as Brooks launched a big kick upfield, the ball was flicked on by striker Kane Rowland and attacking midfielder Artem Kuchkov cut in from the left and bent his deflected shot around the foot of the far post from 22-yards.

Kuchkov was forced off the pitch in the 59^th minute and was replaced by the player who scored their goal, Bridle.

“Artem went over on his ankle. I think (the Herne Bay player) caught him accidentally and went over on the ball on his ankle but we’re lucky enough not to have a game on Saturday, so I’m hoping that we can get two or three players back and ready for next Tuesday, so Artem shouldn’t be that long,” revealed Lovell.

Clinical Ramsgate doubled their lead with a well-worked move with 18 minutes and 12 seconds on the clock.

Deacon hit a half-volley into the right-channel from the half-way line to release Ajayi, who cut the ball back into Taylor’s feet inside the box and he stabbed the ball back to Martin, who drilled a first-time right-footed drive from 25-yards, which looped over Brooks into the top far corner.

It was the 1,000^th League/Cup/Play-Off goal that Herne Bay have conceded in 581 games since joining the Isthmian League in 2012.  Ramsgate have scored the most number of goals against them than any other team, scoring 43 times in 22 League and 3 Cup ties.

“It’s a good finish. It was good play.  At two-nil, you’re thinking, ‘right, here we go, lets go and get a third’ and make this an easy night,” added Smith.

Lovell added: “I think Martin stuck his foot on it and it looped in and again that could’ve gone anywhere but it’s gone and looped over Harry’s head and into the corner, so we can’t do too much about that!”

Ajayi and Jadama linked up well again before a reverse pass released Taylor, who easily cut inside Herne Bay centre-half Skye Salmon but his left-footed angled drive was comfortably picked up by Brooks at his near-post as the ball rolled towards the bottom right-hand corner.

“We were high press. We were moving the ball quickly, switching the play well but yes, it was only one half,” added Smith.

“TJ (Jadama) and Josh (Ajayi), I thought all the front guys were a threat. It was a tough one to have to bring TJ (Jadama) off. He was sick at half-time. He was under the weather tonight.”

Smith admitted post-match that his side are the “walking wounded,”  with Joe Ellul an unused sub tonight as the centre-half is just recovering from his calf injury.

Tom Clifford – who played on the left of a three-man defence – played the ball into central centre-half Leader, who sprayed the ball along the deck into Deacon, who cut onto his left-foot and flashed an angled drive across the keeper and just past the foot of the far post.

Smith handed Millwall loanee goalkeeper Dillion Addai his debut, and revealed post-match that the 19-year-old is to be given two games as part of a 28 day loan deal, with Henry Newcombe serving a one-match suspension following his red-card in the 3-2 win at Ashford United seven days earlier and Tom Hadler, who you would class as Ramsgate's first-choice goalkeeper, was ruled out through concussion.

Ethan Amith played a 20-yard inside pass to the unmarked Scott Heard, who unleashed a right-footed rasping drive towards the roof of the net from 35-yards, which was comfortably plucked out of the air by Addai (29:14).

Smith said: “I thought Dillon was excellent! He’s come in and not known the boys. He doesn’t know the way we play at all, so it was a bit like sometimes he was trying to kick it long when we went short and visa-versa but that’s to be expected.

“I thought his goalkeeping was first class to be honest, way better than what I expected.  You never know with goalkeeper’s out of Academy football, you’re thrown into a local derby, a huge game.”

Lovell added: “As if he was picking apples off a tree!”

Jadama picked up the ball on the half-way line and drove straight down the heart of the pitch towards the D before feeding Ajayi, who cut inside Parter and his right-footed shot was blocked by Brooks’ legs.

A rare mistake from Parter should have been gobbled up by Taylor in the 42^nd minute.

More good attacking play from Jadama say him play the ball to Parter, who put the ball on a plate for Taylor, who only had Brooks to beat but the Herne Bay keeper made a vital save with his legs.

Smith said: “JT just slipped as he’s about to shoot. I don’t think he could believe his luck to be honest and you expect him to score from there but he’s slipped and these things happen. He shouldn’t have to score two or three a game for us to win a game of football.”

Lovell added: “That’s been the way it’s been going for us, making mistakes but Harry came to our rescue this time. Parts doesn’t make many mistakes but that was one of the few he makes.”

Herne Bay were playing too many backwards and sideways passes and couldn’t cope with Ramsgate’s high press and dominant Ramsgate looked like champions-elect in the first half but Lovell admitted his side gave them too much respect.

“Just keep going! After the first 20 minutes, the first quarter-of-an-hour, I said we just have to start believing in themselves. I said a lot of them don’t believe in themselves enough.  They gave too much respect to the oppoition, the first 10 minutes, quarter-of-an-hour. We gave them too much respect and after that we got our foot in and we had a go and we were excellent," said Lovell.

Smith added: “I said, ‘don’t be complacent!’ We’ve got quite a few boys there with all sort of knocks etc. I was trying to find out which boys were struggling the most and then we’re having a bit of a plan how long we gave them.

“TJ (Jadama) for example. I think we gave him 10 minutes in the second half, see if he might get a second wind but he was no good tonight like physically. He looked drained. His energy is massive for us.

“We said at half-time there are a few areas we need to be making more off and in the second half we didn’t want to even attempt to play in those areas.

“I think we were a car crash in the second half! That’s not to slam my boys because we look at the running stats week-after-week and we’re averaging seven or eight players doing 11k and more, some boys are up at 13 and a half k, so when I say that, it’s certainly not from the want of trying.

“Sometimes you have to give credit to the opposition. They tweaked a couple of things second half and what I was disappointed with was we didn’t have the leadership on the pitch to just make the slight adjustments that we needed to make and find the solutions and we didn’t do that tonight and that for me, that’s the biggest disappointment tonight.

“But look, it’s about three points. It’s not about how we performed over 90 minutes, it’s about three points and we got three points tonight but we’ve got to be better.”

Herne Bay came out with all guns blazing and Addai pulled off the Save of the Season in this division after only 16 seconds into the second half.

Herne Bay kicked off and then Heard drove straight down the middle before feeding Smith, who played the ball out to 16-year-old right-back Jack Hiller and his cross picked out the unmarked Heard, who drilled a left-footed shot from 25-yards, which would have sailed into the top left-hand corner, only for Addai to dive high to his right and use a strong right-hand to push the ball over for a corner.

Rowland and Kuchkov linked up well on the edge of the Ramsgate box and played a one-two before Heard cracked a 22-yard drive towards the top left-hand corner again – and Addai used both of his hands to push the shot over the crossbar to make another great save after only 130 seconds.

Smith said: “Two great saves! He had a really good game for us today and what I really liked about him and something that’s going to hold him in very good stead is the confidence of the boy. He’s got that aura of invincibility about him, that good arrogance. He’s got a very bright future ahead of him.

“Dillion’s got a two-game loan. It’s a 28 day but we’ve agreed two games that he’ll play for us. It has to be worth his while as well. A massive thanks to Millwall.”

If Herne Bay were playing any other team in this division, both of these shots would have ended up in the top left-hand corner!

“I thought their keeper was excellent,” said Lovell, a former Millwall striker back in the day.

“I thought Harry (Brooks) did well for us as well to be honest but their keeper, he made two great saves at the start of the second half from Heardy and that’s the difference.

“This keeper, he’s on loan from Millwall, he’s training full-time. It just shows you the quality of what’s out there with young goalkeeper’s but he was excellent. I thought he was excellent for them – he stops us from winning the game.”

Herne Bay were the better side at this point and their reward came following their fourth of five corners, timed at 17 minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

Parter swung the ball in from the left, Rowland knocked the ball down from within a crowd of players at the back post and Bridle pounced and swept his right-footed half-volley into the bottom left-hand corner from within a congested goal-mouth.

Reflecting on Herne Bay’s 936^th goal since joining the eighth-tier, Lovell was full of praise for the debutant Gillingham loanee and hinted why he left eight-goal attacker Michael Salako on the bench.

“He’s a goalscorer. I’m glad to get Harry on, give him a game. We’ve got him in because our forwards haven’t been scoring that many goals, so let’s see what he does. He’s only played (less than) half a game but he’s scored one.

“He’s been on loan to Sheppey, scored (once) for them so we’ll see. We haven’t got many numbers now, we’ve got a few injuries so it’s important to get people in and give them an opportunity.”

When asked about the current injury list, the Welshman revealed: “Frankie Smith is going to be out for another three or four weeks.  Kane Haysman might be back next Tuesday.  Artem now. Hopefully, most of them will be fit for next Tuesday and we can put out a decent squad out and a decent team out.”

Smith added: “Obviously it’s bundled in, so I don’t really know what’s happened there.

“They deserved to get a goal at that point. Let’s not sit here and say how we did. We deserved to score more than two in the first half but when you don’t go and do that and punish teams, you always leave the door open.”

The impressive Heard was allowed to drive towards the Ramsgate back three again before he played the ball out to Hillier, who put in a cross towards the near-post which was met by Bridle’s free header, which he steered over the crossbar.

Paxman struck a left-footed shot on the turn from 35-yards, which forced Brooks to dive to his left but the ball sailed just past the far post, as Ramsgate reminded their hosts that they still posed a threat.

Brooks made another save with his legs inside the final 12 minutes.

Substitute right-winger Benedict Bioletti released substitute Lewis Gard, before Taylor switched the ball over to the other side of the box for Myles Judd, but he was denied by Herne Bay’s fifth goalkeeper of the season, albiet one that you would class as first-choice.

“Harry’s done well. He’s come back in. We’ve had a few nightmares with goalkeeper’s recently but Harry’s had a good start to the season and he needs to be on it a bit and that’s why we’ve left him out but he seems to get himself back in and done well tonight, so I’m pleased for him,” said Lovell.

Herne Bay were given a glorious chance to claim a point that their second-half performance warranted when Ramsgate centre-half Aaron Barnes was penalised for handball and referee Peter Conn pointed to the spot.

Parter drilled a right-footed penalty against the crossbar (36:04), aiming for the top right-hand corner, to miss his second penalty of the season.

Lovell said: “It’s a shame, Jack, no one wants to miss a penalty but he’s struck it well but as it’s been going for us recently, rather than going underneath the bar and in, it’s gone up and over and the linesman’s put his flag up and said the ball’s gone out of play but there you go, that’s the way it is.”

Smith added: “I mean, look, Dillion’s shown he’s a bit of a presence and that’s why Jack’s tried to hit it so hard.  What he’s doing on penalties, I don’t know.

“I love Parts, I think Parts is a great player and for me I thought he was their best player tonight.  In terms of tactically, who caused is problems, it was Parts.

“He’s scored a few this year, so can’t say too much about that. We’ve missed penalties this year as well, so anyone can miss them.”

The always threatening Bioletti drove into the Herne Bay box before Brooks got down low to his left to tip his shot around the post to prevent the ball nestling inside the bottom right-hand corner.

Smith said: “Benny’s been out with concussion just over two weeks now, so it’s really good for us to have Benny back. It just looked like the game was end-to-end stretched.  I thought Jack Parter was getting on a lot in the second half. Benny coming on, just put the breaks on him a little bit.”

Ramsgate's holding midfielder Billy Munday played the ball out to Paxman on the left and he split open Friend with a sublime 20-yard through ball along the deck to play in Bioletti, but after skipping past the advancing goalkeeper, he took a heavy touch and poked the ball past the foot of the left-hand post of an empty goal.

When asked how Munday has settled in since his move from league rivals Deal Town, Smith replied: “He’s had a terrific start with us, fitting in the dressing room. He’s running through a brick wall for us.

“I still think there’s areas where he’s got to get used to the way that we play but I can’t fault his work-rate, effort and his application.

“I’m really pleased it’s gone well for him, obviously leaving Deal where he’s the main man and starts every game. It’s different at Ramsgate. That’s no disrespect to Deal but he’s not guaranteed to start every game.  It’s not Roy of the Rovers stuff, so he has to adapt as well but I can’t fault the way he’s fitted in so far and he’s been a crucial signing at a really, really important stage of the season.”

Beckenham Town (41 points from 17 games) remain at the summit, while the four play-off places contain Ramsgate (40 points from 14 games), Sittingbourne (35 points from 14 games), Margate (32 points from 15 games) and Burgess Hill Town (30 points from 14 games).

Smith said: “We’ve started the season well.  Would we have taken this, last game of pre-season? Absolutely! People were saying the club was in disarray and all that sort of stuff. We’ve just got our head down, worked hard.  We’ve got a good group of players there, we’re getting through games. We’ve not been at our scintillating best for 90 minutes yet this season, apart from beating Sheppey United 5-0 and it should’ve been more!

“It’s also a puzzle – we’ll get it right! What’s nice, all of us are pulling in the same direction and we’re fighting for every point. Even when we’re not at our best, we can still come through and get through a game and that’s a great sign. Look at teams that have won things in the past in this league, they’ve done that.

“We’re not happy in that dressing room because we’ve got high standards than that! We’re not happy but there’s no witch hunt. As a collective group, we did some things that were own goals tonight and there’s things that we need to work on moving forward.”

Marcel Nimani’s Sevenoaks Town came away from Broadbridge Heath with a 2-2 draw tonight.

Smith takes his side to tenth-placed Sevenoaks (20 points from 15 games) on Saturday, while Lovell takes his men to thirteenth-placed Broadbridge Heath (16 points from 13 games) next Tuesday.

“I know Sevenoaks are a good side and I’ve got a lot of time for Marcel, a lot of time for a lot of his players and I think he’s doing a cracking job there by the way, that goes unnoticed,” added Smith.

“It’s a real nice club as well, they do things the right way. They’re growing the club with the youth and trying to get the community involved. Yes, I’ve got a lot of time for all the people at Sevenoaks, they do things properly.

“It’s not an easy game but I don’t know where the easy games are this year? I think there’s more teams this year that can take points off people.”

Smith was asked how he copes with his team having a target on their backs.

“You just have to block it out. I’m used to having that now. Don’t forget my team at Herne Bay because at the time we had a lot of SE Dons players playing for us and we had a target on our backs then, so I’m used to having that.

“I’m very much a case of it’s my dressing room, my committee, it’s us against the world. Everyone loves slating Ramsgate. Everyone loves seeing us not do well. We just have to collectively get together and keep pushing on as a group.

“Some nights we won’t be at our best but you still heard our fans in full voice for 90 minutes. The away support was fantastic!

“By the looks of things, things look to be going well here at Herne Bay and I hope that continues on and off the pitch,” said Smith, who celebrated winning the Isthmian League South East Division play-offs during his time in charge of The Bay.

“We’ve come away tonight, we’ve won three points against a near rival in terms of location but for me and the players, winning here last year meant a lot to me, now it’s just another three points, it has to be.”

The bottom eight consists of Littlehampton Town (15 points from 14 games), Ashford United (14 points from 13 games), Herne Bay (14 points from 13 games) and Nick Davis' Hythe Town (10 points from 15 games).

The relegation zone holds Three Bridges (nine points from 12 games), Lancing (seven points from 14 games), newly-promoted Steyning Town Community (six points from 15 games) and Darren Anslow’s Phoenix Sports are rooted to the foot of the table with four points from 15 games.

When asked how he gets his side climbing the league table, Lovell replied: “We’ve got to win games! I’m not worried. I don’t look at the table. I’m not bothered about the table.

“I look at performances and if performances keep like they are, then we will soon move up the table.

“There’s only two teams that go up in this league and there’s a lot of good teams in this league at the top.  We will try to win as many games as we can to get as far up the league as we can.

“But this year, it’s making progression, getting the club on an even keel, getting the youngsters a run-out, giving the 23s a run-out, giving the boys a run-out and seeing where we are at the end of the season and building on up from next year.”

Looking ahead to their trip to Broadbridge Heath next week, Lovell, who's side have played a Tuesday night game for the past six weeks, added; “I think the Cup games have taken a toll, certainly being successful in the Cup can take a toll and that’s what’s happened. We’ve had a lot of Cup games as well.

“The Cup games sort of get in a way sometimes but it’s good for the club. We had a good Cup run. It does take it’s toll in the end but that’s the way it is.

“Hopefully we can get a squad together, get the quality back in and it will give us numbers to pick ready for Broadbridge.  But it’s a long season. We’ve only played 13 games, we’ve got another 29 to go, so we’re nearly a third of a way through, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Herne Bay: Harry Brooks, Jack Hillier, Jack Parter, Mohamed Kamara, Liam Friend, Skye Salmon, Monty Saunders, Ethan Smith, Kane Rowland, Artem Kuchkov (Harry Bridle 59), Scott Heard.
Subs: Joshua Reid, Michael Salako, Daniel Carrington, Alfie Hills

Goal: Harry Bridle 63

Ramsgate: Dillion Addai, Roarie Deacon (Myles Judd 73), Alfie Paxman, Jay Leader, Aaron Barnes, Tom Clifford, Lee Martin, Billy Munday, Joe Taylor, Tijan Jadama (Lewis Gard 67), Joshua Ajayi (Benedict Bioletti 69).
Subs: Joe Ellul, Kai Garrett

Goals: Joe Taylor 12, Lee Martin 19

Booked: Jay Leader 40, Aaron Barnes 63, Roarie Deacon 64

Attendance: 862
Referee: Mr Peter Conn
Assistants: Mark Roberts & Mr Christoper Cannon